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Super Bowl Day

I’m sitting here in my Donovan McNabb Eagles jersey anxiously awaiting the big game, Super Bowl 2014, between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. So much has been made about the most prolific offense against the toughest defense, probably because it rarely shakes out that way in a Super Bowl, where one team is so decidedly one thing while the other is so decidedly the opposite. So I’m thinking this game will come down to the Denver defense vs. the Seattle offense.

This post is a rare one because I’m using it as my first updating blog entry. During various points in the game I will be updating this entry with what’s going on in the game itself (see, it’s not all about the commercials). So, I look forward to seeing you at kickoff, which is less than an hour away now (hopefully)…

6:00 PM – I am checking my NFL.com Playoff Challenge lineup for the final time. Not making any changes, just evaluating and making sure my picks are locked in. I entered 8th, and I need a great game from Denver to keep my hopes of ending up 2nd or 3rd alive. My picks are Manning, Moreno, Ball, Thomas, Welker, Thomas (TE), Hauschka, and the Denver defense. Fingers crossed.

First drive for Denver begins and ends at the same time, with a horrendous miscommunication and a safety. But it could have been worse. Seattle drives down the field. Challenge on the ball spot after Russell Wilson runs out of bounds. It looked to me like a first down, even though the call on the field was a yard short. Official says the ball was short of the first down marker, and Hauschka gets to kick a 31-yarder.

6:51 PM – Denver’s second drive goes 3 and out after a monster hit from Chancellor on Damaryius Thomas.

7:04 PM – Denver challenges the ruling of an incomplete forward pass, claiming it went backward and they recovered it. It looked to me like an incomplete forward pass, as ruled on the field. Officials confirm an incomplete pass.

7:12 PM – Manning overthrows his receiver, and Chancellor gets the interception on a Denver 3rd down play. 8-0 Seahawks.

7:45 PM – Holliday loses the football on the return, but he was down so the call of fumble was overturned. Denver needs a score on this drive. Something to halt the momentum going into the half.

7:53 PM – Denver gives up the ball after going for it on 4th down. Seattle is still pitching a shutout.

HALFTIME – The difference in this game is the turnovers, and the Denver’s lack of moving the ball on 3rd down. They were getting better at it at the end of the half, but still didn’t turn it into any points. Seattle gets the kickoff at the start of the 2nd half, and the Denver defense needs to get right on it.

The second half is about to start. Keys for Denver to get back into this game: get a running game going to keep Seattle honest. And no turnovers. They have to protect the ball. They were starting to drive the ball down the field at the end of the first half, even though they had no points to show for it.

8:55 PM – Another turnover by Seattle, with Damaryius Thomas coughing up the ball after a tough catch and run. Time is running out for Denver, who still has yet to score.

9:10 PM – The shutout is over. Damaryius Thomas makes up for the fumble on the previous drive, scoring from 14 yards out with an acrobatic catch. The 2-point conversion makes it 36-8.

9:22 PM – Wilson takes the Seahawks right back down the field to score ANOTHER touchdown. 43-8. Seattle.

9:50 PM – The two minute warning gives Denver one last exhale before being officially steamrolled in the history books of this Super Bowl. The score remains 43-8 as they get the ball back perhaps for the final time this season.

9:55 PM – Denver is content to just run out the clock with… Anderson? Wow, what a thorough annihilation. Turnovers and special teams plays were the story of this Super Bowl that turned out not to be so super. What’s next for Manning? For that Seattle defense?